Improvement in the manufacture of artificial stone



UUnlll\UV UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEO WILLIAM KIRRAGE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 65,969, dated June 26, 1864i.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM KIRRAGE, of London, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, have. invented an Iniprovement in the Manufacture of Artificial Stone for Building and other Purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following: is a full and exact description of the same.

I use silica, sand, rave], or any other fit and roper lill'tl and uncliangeable matters with a portion of cement. Sul ihatc of iron and water are then added in a sutiicientquanthy mil and corrode the silicia; or anv .q" other sulphate or acid maybe used containing 't to properties of corroding the mass, which is the objectthis invention is intended to obtain. This composition is intended to form blocks or masses of artificial stone of any shape, to be used in the construction of buildings in the place of bricks or stone, orin union with either or both of them,as occasion may require. The molds require to be made strong to resist the pressure while filling. In the absence of hydraulic or other machines small hand-rammers may be used. In tilling care must be taken that the mixture'is neither too dr no r too dam) for the processmg as iu the lormer case the stone willmnd in the latter case the excess of moisture will show itself on the surface, and in either the solidification will beless perfect; and although I prefer Portland or other cements in the con struction of these blocks, I sometimes use ground lime, such as blue or "rav lias, fjDorkmg, or other lnnes, with sulphate oi lIOll, in u Inch case I invariably use tl1e water in a hot or boilinp' state, taking care not to mm more material at one time than will fill the molds ready for use, as the setting; or hardening process commences immediately, and is fit to take out of the molds in ten minutes after tilling them.

I make my artificial or tiles and stone from silica, sand, gravel, or other similar matters, such as brick and pottery, and similar materials in the shape of was e which should be ground, burnt clav or ground chalk,

slag, or the materials obiained from o )enln metal mines or other wasfi materials contamtn silicaand being ot a hard character, may

also be used in connection with a portion of cement, which I incorporate with the other in a suitable pug, or'other mixing nun."

I nextprocced to treat the mixed material with a chemical agent whiclracts upon the silica and corrodes it, so asto produce a binding: effect and ahardening of the mass. I prefer to use a solution of sulphate of iron; but solutions of metallic sulphates, such as will filso act upon the silica, and muriates of some of the metals would also produce a similar result, such as alum, slate, or schis and the mother liquor in the manufacture of alum, tinoric acid, acetate of iron, pvrohg'nate of iron, oxides corbonates, and muriates ot'iron, lIOll dissolvct Ill sal-ammonlac, rice or ricewa figr, and fium-palbannm and uni-ammoniacum disso vet lll s nrit; but prefer to use sulphate of llOll as being eflicacious and most blood. coal-pitch, lithar e, rice, and

colors,

The cement I propose to use is Portland cement. The proportions I find best to answer the purpose are, one pound of cement to form eig gtotwelve .pounds of thefsilica containedIT the materials above named. The materials will be found to vary somewhat in quality; but a competent workman will easily ascertain how much cement must be added to produce a compound that is hard and durable. Of the sulphate of iron, which I use by preference,1 take the common crystals and dissolve them and mix them in water, in the proportions of half an ounce of sulphate of iron to every gallon of water, for the inakingof bricks or blocks for alrcommon building purposes. These proportions will answer well. But in making coping-sills for windows, sinks, landings, chimney-tops, and all heavy work, the proportions of sulphate of iron should be increased, and will produce a stronger and harder compound to meet the strength required, particularly in the case of heavy landings and large columns to carry weights.

If hydraulic or blue or. ra lias lime is used instead of cement, I then take six or eight pounds of silica or other matter to one pound of ei ther ot the above limes, with the same quantity of sulphate as with the cement, onlyin this cas'ethe mixture of sulphate must be used hot, as hereinafter described. If any of the lower materials, all being), roum or mig ed together economical, and as coloring-matters bollocks v rice-water as wel as t to several vegetable and mineral with imes SW10 l 0 materials in the mill as will make it bind together and make it slightly plastic, but not too much so. It is then lit for being compressed into molds in the usual way of molding. As soon as the. pug-mill or other apparatus has thoroughly incorporated the mixture it is advisable to transfer itto a moldingmachine, either worked by hand or steampower, and so the bricks or other forms or articles may be molded and pressed as soon as possible. A hand-press or ram may be used, or the molds may be pressed down by hand. In the case of making copings, columns, sills, sinks, and other heavy work the molds must be well filled, and every corner and projection must be rammed down in a sound and careful manner. In the manufacture of bricks and tiles from clay and plastic materials, to aid andeconomize perfect and uniform combustion, burning, and hardening, and a superior form of article, I use vegetable and min' eral oils, )etroleum, and the orr inaTry coa am wasars.

.he solution should b used hot. I I the solution should lie added to tile ese, drone of them, are mixed with the ole s brick, earths or other plastic mfie ll vention and in what mauuer'the same is to be performed, I do not claim the mixing of cements and silica, nor the mixing of limes and silicas; but

What I do claim is- 1. The manufacture of artificial stone, bricks, and tiles, or other hard material, by mixing and using the sulphate of iron or other similar metallic sulphates, or other similar mixtures of acids, with metallic bases and the several materials hereinbefore described, in combination with cements and silica and limes and silica contained in the materials such as I have mentioned,for the purpose hereinbefore described.

2. The application of the coloring-matters before named, in combination with the silica and other materials.

3. In the manufacture of bricks and tiles from plastic materials, the application of the materials specified for the purpose of effecting a more perfect combustion, burning, and hardening, thus producing a superior form of art-icle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM KIRRA E.

Witnesses:

G. F. WARREN, J OHN DEAN. 

